Power Sneakers
For other uses of the term, see Power Sneakers (disambiguation). The Power Sneakers''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (16-bit) (Sega Mega Drive) United States instruction booklet, p. 2. are reoccurring objects in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. They are a pair of sneakers and the distinctive footwear worn by Sonic the Hedgehog. Concept and creation According to Naoto Ōshima, the design of the Power Sneakers was inspired by the cover of Michael Jackson's hit album Bad, and that the contrast between the colors white and red made him think of Santa Claus. Description Appearance The Power Sneakers are a pair of smooth red shoes with pointed toes, white sock-like cuffs and a white strap over their middles. Originally, they had no visible soles, being completely dark red on the bottom. At the time of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, they gained gold buckles on the sides, and at the time of Sonic Adventure, they received grey soles with grooves on. When Sonic transforms into his Werehog form in the videogame Sonic Unleashed, his sneakers curve a bit at the toe, the white stripe is replaced with a silver metal plate with spikes, the bottom of each of his soles are now covered with eighteen small, metal spikes and they turn a darker red. Abilities and traits While not stated, the Power Sneakers appear nearly friction proof, meaning they wear out very slowly; even after running with them for years at the speed of sound, the Power Sneakers show no more than slight superficial damage. Variants Speed Down Boots The Speed Down Boots are evil knock-offs of the Power Sneakers, made by Dr. Eggman. Unlike the Power Sneakers, they disable Sonic's speed and agility, and can only be removed with the Chaos Emeralds' power. Light Speed Shoes The Light Speed Shoes are upgraded versions of the Power Sneakers. They serve as Level Up Items which enables the Light Speed Dash. Hi-Speed Shoes The Hi-Speed Shoes are replacement shoes for the Power Sneakers that Sonic wore in Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. They are specially designed for grinding. Extreme Gear shoes In the Sonic Riders series, Sonic wears different versions of his Power Sneakers. These red and white shoes resemble high-top tennis shoes with yellow accents and grey soles. Custom Shoes The Custom Shoes are special Power Sneakers designed by Alberto Robert. These shoes can harness the power of Gems to both alter their appearance and unlock new abilities, along with the Light Chip and Antigravity. In other media Comics Sonic the Comic In the Sonic the Comic comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Power Sneakers created and given to Sonic by Doctor Ovi Kintobor to reduce the friction on his feet. With them, Sonic managed to break the sound barrier for the first time, changing him from a brown and spiky hedgehog to his current blue and streamlined form. Archie Comics In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, Sonic's Sneakers were invented by Sonic's uncle, Sir Charles Hedgehog. They were made from Power Ring energy so they could never wear down from Sonic's speed. Originally, the sneakers resembled the Power Sneakers during the Genesis era, but were later changed to their modern design when Sonic diverted a time-beam and got a burst of Super Emerald energy. Television series ''Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog'' In Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, the Power Sneakers are referred to as hi-tops. In this media, Sonic needs them to protect his feet from friction or else he cannot run for long. ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (TV series) In the Sonic the Hedgehog television series, the Power Sneakers are prized possessions of Sonic. In addition to protecting his feet, they are equipped with anti-gravity jets and magnetic soles as well. Early Sonic canon In the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' promotional comic, the Power Sneakers (referred to simply as "frictionless shoes") were created and given to Sonic by Doctor Ovi Kintobor. This was after Sonic's previous trainers were shredded by the accident that turned him blue. In this comic, there is no indication that the Power Sneakers help Sonic to run faster or that they help to protect his feet. Trivia *In the early Sonic games, the western manuals incorrectly referred to the Power Sneakers as the source of Sonic's speed.''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (8-bit) (Sega Game Gear) United States instruction booklet, p. 3. *The only games where Sonic wears different shoes are Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Riders, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Sonic Unleashed (while in Werehog form), Sonic Free Riders, and Sonic Lost World (in The Legend of Zelda Zone). **He was supposed to use them in Sonic Adventure 2, but they were replaced by the Hi-Speed Shoes. This can be seen in the early images of the Neutral Garden. *In Sonic Lost World, Zeena makes a remark that Sonic’s shoes are "atrocious". *The Power Sneakers made a cameo in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, appearing next to the trash can that reads "No Hopers" in the "Cranky's Video Game Heroes" screen. *The shoes share their name with a power-up item, also named "Power Sneakers". *Both Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel have worn shoes that looked identical to the Power Sneakers. Gallery Power-Sneakers-Sonic-the-Hedgehog-Pencil-Sketch-Naoto-Ohshima.png| of the Power Sneakers illustrated by Naoto Ōhshima. References Category:Sonic the Hedgehog Category:Video game items Category:Fictional footwear